Phosphorylation of Staphylococcus aureus protein-tyrosine kinase affects the function of glucokinase and biofilm formation

ABSTRACT

Background: When Staphylococcus aureus is grown in the presence of high concentration of external glucose, this sugar is phosphorylated by glucokinase [glkA] to form glucose-6-phosphate. This product subsequently enters into anabolic phase, which favors biofilm formation. The presence of ROK [repressor protein, open reading frame, sugar kinase] motif, phosphate-1 and -2 sites, and tyrosine kinase sites in glkA of S. aureus indicates that phosphorylation must regulate the glkA activity. The aim of the present study was to identify the effect of phosphorylation on the function of S. aureus glkA and biofilm formation